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PETER KENNETH
The leader who arrived ahead of his time
Before we begin, share with us your thoughts about the Westgate tragedy? My running mate and I posted a message on Facebook and we sent our deepest condolences to all those who lost their loved ones in the cowardly and senseless Westgate attack by terrorists that lasted over four days. We pray that the Almighty God will rest the departed souls in eternal peace. We also wish a quick recovery to all those who were injured in the unfortunate attack as we commiserate with all the Kenyan people and friends of Kenya who are traumatised by this unfortunate event. We shall remain forever grateful to our men and women in uniform who put their lives in harms way to rescue our people and bring this drama to an end. Under the leadership of the Commander-in Chief, our security agencies demonstrated professionalism and steadfastness in dealing with the crisis. They have stood as a symbol of our strength and made us all proud. We also recognise the many Kenyans from all walks of life who donated blood and money to assist the victims as well as those who came out to support the responders. We especially note with pride the M-Pesa Initiative that raised over Kshs 60 million in three days to assist the rescue and recovery efforts. We salute all the humanitarian and emergency response teams especially the Kenya Red Cross Society and the St Johns Ambulances who assisted in evacuating the injured. By pulling together as Kenyans in this tragedy, we have shown our unity, courage and love for one another to the whole world. These are values that we must carry forth with us and demonstrate even in times of peace and calm. We urge all Kenyans to continue to hold together and to support the bereaved and the injured. Lets also work together to heal the wounds that remain after the fire has died down. Lets also congratulate you for putting up a great fight in the 2013 elections. At what point did you think that it was important for you to concede defeat? I think it became absolutely clear in the last two weeks that it was an orchestrated campaign to make it a two horse race. Because of that we lost some ground and in my view when we realised the trend was what was coming out in the electronic vote before it was stopped, and the same trend took place in the manual, we said that the country was bigger than all of us. What we needed was to rally around and say that Kenyans have made their decision. How difficult was it a decision to go ahead and concede? It wasnt difficult because you go into a contest knowing one of you will win and the rest of you will be losers and you kind of retreat for another day. In your opinion, what do you feel went wrong with your strategy? First of all looking at the results, we did not do as well as we should have, but I also think, the reflection is not as good we think we did. We know a little bit of things that perhaps were done behind the scenes. We have details proving that we did better than what was reported. But all along, we were of the view that Kenyans will decide on issues and that is where we built our greatest hope. Unfortunately, in the last two weeks we saw another trend. Where it became tribal, where issues were put on cold storage and therefore we went back to the same old issues; of deciding whether we need this family or that family or if we need this person or that person. Is Kenya not ready for an elitist president according to you? I had a lot of faith in young people, that this was the time to make a break but I think at the end of the day, they were dictated to mostly, by their parents and we still went the tribal way. As I said we relegated issues. I still hope that at some point, whether the next elections or the other one, we can discuss issues. Because I think relegating issues at the time of elections only comes back to hurt you as a Kenyan. Do you feel the decisions made during this election will now serve as a lesson to the youth? Do you thing that they will reflect on them and make a different decision next time? I dont think so. We tend to reason and rationalise until two weeks to elections. That is what I have seen. We are going to reason together for the next four years but when the elections come, we then retreat to our cocoons. Why do you think that happens?

STRAIGHT TALK

By Ravneet Sehmi and Simon Muli

Known as the elitist presidential candidate during the March 2013 elections, banker-turned-politician, Peter Kenneth, took a graceful exit from the presidential race. But, theres more to the handsome presidential contestant than meets the eye. Peter Kenneth, was born and brought up in the countrys capital, Nairobi. Kenneths love for the countryside is what later give rise to a man, described by many as the most performing politician in Kenya. His service to the people of Gatanga for 10 years, as their representative in parliament left an indelible mark on the lives of many in his constituents. In his first interview since March 4, the father of two, shares his thoughts about the latest issues in Kenyas political arena and what he has been up to.
I really cannot tell, because if you look at somebody who has reasoned for four years but cant reason in the last two months, then you have to start questioning whether really reasons and issues have anything to do with an election or we just leave it to be tribal. What is your take on our current government? When I made that famous speech after elections, I said that we must brace ourselves for hard economic times and it wasnt going to be easy for any government. Discipline was going to be the core thing to drive us out of our perennial problems. Unfortunately we havent seen reinforcement of discipline in the current government. Despite the fact that there are a lot of problems that they (the current government) have tried to tackle, as a country we need to deal with security, the economy, the infrastructure and unemployment, which is very high and that brings a lot to deal with. Also peculiar is that this government was the first to deal with

OCT / 11 - 17 / 2013

STRAIGHT TALK
devolution and it is not an easy thing because it takes a lot of money from the central government. It has been rather tough for them. But, there is also the other side that they have handled it with some decorum. They appointed a professional cabinet. There will be questions whether they should have appointed people who can articulate politically being professional and I think the president has issued the right statements. What is lacking is backing those statements with action. The Tunawesmek slogan was the buzzword especially in social media. How did that come about and what impact according to you has it left? I think Tunawesmek is now a strong word in the Kenyan vocabulary. I was in church on Sunday and the Archbishop of the Anglican Church said You know... and Peter of tunawesmek fame is here. It is a strong buzzword. The creative team did a lot to come with the buzzword. I Where have you channeled all your energies now after the elections? Well, the campaign was a tiring one, especially for some of us who started late, we came strongly in the last sixseven months. I wanted to put that challenge so that Kenyans can have a different perspective. I can say that I have had a lot of time for my family now. My kids never got the time to see their daddy that often and also for my own private things; my own companies which I never had time for. My own body in terms of keeping it fit and keeping it healthy. So that is where I am channeling my energy right now. You have been an active business man before you ventured into politics; you had a successful career in the corporate world. What made you get into politics? The need to serve is what really made me get into politics. I loved country life or village life, and every time I went to see my mother and visit friends in the village, I could see the problems. I couldnt understand why I had to drive on potholes for 20 kilometres, I had to be woken up in the middle of the night to rush somebody to hospital, people would come home to ask for drinking water or why I had to install solar so that my mother could have light. Because of going there too frequently, I realised it was a problem that cut across. I am satisfied that after serving that long in parliament, we have resolved these problems. We now have good roads, piped water, good interconnectivity of electricity and I also felt secure sleeping in the village. Have you ever regretted getting into politics? No. I have no regrets whatsoever. I think life is short and you can make a difference within that short time. That is what really counts. You are very active on social media, and you seem to get your messages, thoughts, and opinions across to thousands of people. Is social media the way to go for our politicians because a lot of them are not as active? I think social media is a good form of communication and a lot of people mistake social media. For example after elections people kept saying that you have big following, how come it didnt translate into votes? Now you get followed by all sorts of people, some outside the country and some are corporate bodies. I think it is a good interactive form to look at each others opinion and see whether you can shape the opinion of many people. Of course young people are in it but as I always said, it is just one of the very many forms of communication in terms of communicating. What I enjoyed most was meeting specialised groups and arguing and articulating views about our country. But you also realise even your enemies also follow you. Not everybody is a supporter. This gives you the other avenue of those who are opposed to you because you can then have a lively discussion on social media. Away from politics for a few minutes; lets talk about Peter Kenneth the man. Your family, your education, tells us a little about yourself. I grew up in Nairobi, In Eastland, when things worked and services where there and when Nairobi was a very beautiful city. I started my primary school in Eastlands and later joined Starehe Boys Centre where I did my O and A levels. Then I began working career and much later I did my degree in Law at the University of Nairobi and I also did my masters in The University of Nairobi. I am married, I have two kids. One of them, Andrew, who is now more famous than I am, is doing his second year in Law. My daughter Andrea is now going to university in the UK. What according to you is your greatest achievement thus far? I think my greatest achievement would be first of all be-

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ing who I am and where I have reached. I have worked hard but I also think that my great achievement is showing the people who I meet, and communicate with the honest and the true fullness in me. I think that to me is my greatest achievement that I have been sincere and honest and I can be able to go back on my tracks and trace them. My integrity has remained. I will take you back to politics a little bit. The new Value Added Tax has caused quite a stir among the members of the public and a lot of people have already started feeling the pinch on the high cost of living. What is your opinion on the whole issue and what would you have done if you had the power? Lets first of all put it this way, that taxes are what a decent society pays for services and the first question that we must ask ourselves is whether even before VAT the taxes where being utilised to provide for services. It is always good for the tax payer to realise that they are paying not as punitive but in return for services. I would have perhaps done it a little different as I have stated in my opinion because I wouldnt want to tax the vulnerable or the common mwananchi especially on the basics and as I have said, I would have deepened the reforms within KRA to broaden the base. Two, I would have enhanced efficiency in tax administration, in terms of collection and in terms of getting sectors that are supposed to pay and are not paying especially in real estate and transport. Then thirdly, I would have curbed the corruption within KRA itself because that could have saved a lot of money and we could have collected much more, we didnt need to go to the VAT and the basic commodities. So I am very clear on that. How will the common mwananchi deal with this? What is their way forward because it has already been enacted? It is going to be difficult because one, the cost of living will now go up and the common mwananchi who forms the majority will find it hard to live in that kind of expense. We will have an agitation of extra salaries which will in turn have a strain on the corporate world and investors. So it is a vicious cycle. I wish we did much more, like on the medical and education so that the common mwananchi can make a saving on that so that they do not keep their little savings on medical and education. Still on the tax law, isnt it ironical that the government decided to levy tax on books, when education is supposed to be free? That is why I have said that I would have done it a little different by deepening reforms within KRA to net those who are supposed to pay but they are not paying so that we dont take the easier route. There is always a temptation in taxation of taking an easier route, where you know you can collect faster. Finally, what is Peter Kenneths message to the public? I think Kenya is a great country, I believe in Kenya very much. It has built many people and it can also build many more. We really just need to get our act right and our country will be on the take- off. I am concerned about the high public debt; I am concerned about delivery of services and I think if we got certain facts right and certain elements right about our country. I always say that if we want to build our economy, which should be the backbone of our take-off, we must first sort out security. So that we know that there is no insecurity in our country because it sends wrong messages. Two we must get our infrastructure right especially in our cities. If we get those two right then we are going to get a lot of investors, we are going to create employment. It would also save those who are going to save people, who want to invest, in terms of ordinary costs. I have a lot of faith in our country but I also think that we need decisive leadership and disciplined leaders. Those two are critical to move our country forward.

was always afraid, and it took them five months to convince me that it was the right slogan. Initially when it came out, half of our supporters were very hostile towards it. I kept on pleading with them to give it time but in the end, I think everybody came into it and it became a Tunawesmek. What does that speak to you with regards to tribalism in Kenya? It just tells you that we are a country that is ready to take off and trivial things such as tribalism, holds us back, unfortunately. We have seen a lot of inter-marriages across the board, which should have been the foundation to kick tribalism out but we still retreat to it. It is very unfortunate. Do you have any particular thing that you would say if you were to curb tribalism now or shun it? What would you suggest to our leaders on what they can do? I think if we were equitable, had a format for equitability and we delivered services, no one would use tribe as a means to get or have hope of getting something. I think it all has to do with the delivery of services. If you look at developed countries, nobody really cares who is at the helm; all they are interested in is pure services. Do you have healthcare, water, roads and security and are they across the board? It is delivery of services that can make the country one so that it does not matter to anybody who is there, as long as that person who is elected is going to utilise the taxes to ensure service delivery.

OCT / 11 - 17 / 2013